Motor vehicle



March l, 1941. M. TIBBETTS 2,234,392

MOTOR VEHICLE Filed July 27, 1938 @f 22 24 5 24 f overdrive TransmissvnCZUCI Engine INVENTOR. M2' l i022 Tz'be is BY TLM VW'WVL ATTORNEYsPatented Mar. 11, 1941 STATES PATENT OFFICE MOTOR VEHICLE ApplicationJuly 27,V 1938, Serial No. 221,654

2 Claims.

This invention relates to motor vehicles and particularly to the motorcontrol mechanism thereof.

The conventional motor vehicle is controlled,

5 as far as speed is concerned, by what is termed an accelerator pedalmounted on the floor of the operators compartment and tilted forwardlyto open the motor throttle and spring-pressed rearwardly to close it.'Ihere is also an instrument board upon which the speedometer is mountedshowing the operator the speed at which the vehicle is traveling.

The operator of la motor vehicle must be constantly on the alert andwatch the speedometer to see that he does not exceed the various speedlimits established in diierent states, municipali-` ties, etc. To assisthim in this motor governors have been developed with adjustments mountedon the instrument board within reach of the operator so that he mayreadily set the governor to a given speed and then drive with the motorthrottle wide open lmowing that the car cannot exceed the set speed ofthe governor. In this way he may drive in a state where the maximumspeed is, say, fty miles an hour, and set the governor at that speed andthe car-will not exceed it. Thus the driver does not have to constantlywatch the speedometer and he may drive on straight sections of the roadwith his foot on the fully depressed accelerator pedal, which is muchless fatiguing than,driving on a partially depressed accelerator andalways watching the speedometer to see that the maximum allowed speed isnot exceeded.

One criticism of this governor arrangement has been that it isoccasionally desirable to momentarily increase the vehicle speedsomewhat for the purpose, for instance, of passing another vehicle, andthere are also emergencies in which l it is imperative that a higherspeed should be instantly available, and the governor set-up referred topermits these excess speeds only after the operator has readjusted thegovernor by hand. This is inconvenient and it is sometimes impossible,due to the particular driving conditions at the time.

Some motor vehicles today what is termed an overdrive or an underdrive,which is an additional gear usually mount- ;0 ed at the rear of thetransmission or gear box.

This may be a planetary gearing or an internalexternal gearing, or anyone of the numerous gearings'for changing the ratio from a high gear toa lower one, and vice versa, and means are `g5 provided for quicklymaking the shift from one are provided with (Cl. 'I4-472) gear toanother. The over or higher gear or drive is the cruising gear, theengine running slower for a given car speed, and the shift to the lowergear is made when sudden acceleration is required, as in passing anothercar, or when more torque is required, as-in taking a grade. l If agovernor such as referred to is used in con= nection with such vehiclethe desired additional speed or torque may not be obtained under someconditions and the drivers control of the car 10 may be interfered withby the lack of response to the throttle opening.

` Some of the governors referred to are provided with locking or sealingmeans, on the instrument board or elsewhere, so that the governoradjustment can be set for a desired speed and no change therein can bemade without the key or the breaking of a seal. This is more frequentlyused where the car is driven by someone other than the owner, as withcars owned by 20 corporations and driven by employees, the corporationswishing to dictate the maximum speed at which the cars may be driven. Inother cases the owner of a car may leave it with his son, locking thegovernor at a speed which he does 25 not want the son to exceed andretaining the key. These are very desirable features of theseVgovernors.

The present invention has for one of its objects maintaining theusefulness of the governor 30 control described, but at the same timeovercoming the criticism thereof so far as it relates to obtaining anexcess speed for emergencies or other demands.

Another object of the invention is to utilize a governor such asdescribed so that the operator'may drive up to but not beyond themaximum desired speed without the necessity of constantly watching thespeedometer and with the accelerator pedal in the easiest drivingposition, 40 but at the same time providing a means for instantlyobtaining the full power of the motor with the most natural driveroperation, that is, with an additional foot movement on the acceleratorpedal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a governor controlledmotor with means operatedV by the accelerator pedal for instantlycutting out the governor and obtaining the full power of the motor.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable governorwith means for cutting out the governor, and with means whereby thegovernor adjustment can be locked -in set position and the governorcut-out locked in inoperative position.

Another object of the invention is to provide quick acting means forshifting gear and cutting out the governor action for the purpose statedabove. l

Another object of the invention is to provide the operator of thevehicle with a single device, easily and conveniently operated, to cutout the governor action, thus restoring full throttle opening, as thegear shifter is moved to a lower gear position, so that fullacceleration or full motor tique at the lower gear may be instantlyavaila e.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription taken in connection with the drawing, which forms a part ofthis specification, and in which.:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of parts of the motor vehicleembodying the invenion;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 with the moving parts in anotherposition;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the valve locking mechanism;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 showing the lockingbolt in one position; and

Figure 5 is a similar view with the locking bolt in another position.

Referring to the drawing, several parts of the motor vehicle are shownin Figures 1 and 2. The dash of the vehicle is shown at I8, the footboard at II, and the instrument board at I2. The portion of the vehicleengine is shown at I3 and the intake manifold thereof at I4. The powerplant of the vehicle consists of the motor I3, its clutch within thehousing I5, the transmission or gearing in the housing I6, and theoverdrive or underdrive gearing in the housing I1. The carburetor of theengine is shown at I8 and this connects with the intake manifold I4through two sections of piping I9 and 28 respectively.

There are two means illustrated for controlling the operation ofthevehicle, rst, the overdrive or underdrive in the casing I1, this gearingbeing illustrated by the gear 2I, and the gear shifter for thismechanism is indicated at 22, this being an arm suitably mounted in thecasing I1. This gear shifter is yieldably held in one position by aspring 23, and it may be moved to its other position, which ispreferably the lower gear position, by movement of the rod 24 towardsthe left in Figures 1 and 2.

The other means shown for controlling the vehicle are the two throttlesmounted in series in the piping between the carburetor and the engine.The first of these throttles is the usual butterfly throttle valve shownin dotted lines at 25 and this is operated by an arm 26, a rod 21,guided at 28', a link 28, a bell crank 29, a rod 30, a lever 3|, a rod32, and a manually operated device 33 which is usually known as anaccelerator pedal. The latter is pivoted at 34 to the floor board II ofthe vehicle. The bell crank 29 is suitably pivoted at 35 on the dash I0of the vehicle andthe lever 3l is pivoted at 36 on `a bracket 31 on theioor board I I of the vehicle. A spring 38 surrounding the rod 21 actsagainst a stop 39 on the rod and against the arm 26 to thus yieldinglyforce the throttle to open position as the rod 21 is moved towards theright. A stop 40 limits the movement of the arm 36, and an abutment 4Ion the rod 21 causes the closing movement of the throttle arm 26 as therod 21 is moved towards the left, as by the retract- 75 ing spring 21.

Thus the throttle 25 is under the direct control of the acceleratorpedal 33 through the mechanism described above. The pedal is shown infull lines in Figure 1 in the full throttle open position, and thethrottle 25 is shown in that position. This is position a of theaccelerator pedal. Position b' of the accelerator pedal is the throttleclosed position thereof and position c of the accelerator pedal is theovertravel position which will be referred to later.

The second of the throttles referred to `herein is the butterflythrottle valve 42 shown in nearly closed position in .the piping 20 inFigure 1, this throttle being in series with the throttle 25, So thateither may r:ontrol the speed of the engine. It has an arm 43 and aspring 44 for yieldingly retaining the throttle valve in its closedposition, but the valve is moved to its open position by a cam 45operating against an arm 46 on the valve and operated by a piston 41 ina cylinder 48 with a spring 49 behind the piston 41. The spring 49 isadjustable by means of a rod or cable 50 extending through a flexibleconduit 5I which leads to the instrument panel I2 of the vehicle. Therod 5I! may be moved by a key 52 to adjust the governor spring 49 andwhen the key is removed the rod 50 is locked and consequently theadjustment of the governor spring is locked and cannot be changedwithout the key 52.

The governor action is effected by the changes in degree of vacuum inthe engine manifold operating in opposition to the spring 49. Thus theright-hand end of the cylinder 48 is connected by the pipes 53 and 54 tothe engine intake between the throttles and the engine cylinders, as at55. A valve 56, shown in somewhat enlarged form in Figures 1 and 2,completes the connection between the pipes 53 and 54, and this valve isoperated by an arm 51, a stop 58 determining its two extremes ofmovement. The valve may be locked in one or the other of those positionsby the key 59 shown in Figures 1 and 3. A spring 60 yieldingly retainsthe valve 56 in one of its two positions and it may be moved from theposition shown in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 2 by anextension 6I of the rod 21. Also, the arm 51 by reason of its spring 60and its relationship to the rod 21 forms a yieldable stop for theaccelerator pedal 33 in its a position, as shown in full lines in Figure1, and in this position of theaccelerator pedal it is easy for thedriver to hold the throttle valve in its fully open position.

In the operation of the vehicle the engine suction or vacuum in theintake manifold I4 is communicated to the cylinder 48 back of the piston41 and as this vacuum increases the cam 45 is withdrawn and the throttlevalve 42 moves to-4 wards a more closed position, thus limiting themaximum speed of the engine as determined by the adjustment of thespring 49. Of course, as the Vacuum drops the spring 49 moves the piston41 towards the left and tends to open the throttle valve.

In the usual operation of the vehicle, by the owner himself, or by onewho does not wish to be restricted by the governor action except to havethe governor operate as long as the accelerator pedal is in its aposition, the governor spring 49 may be set by manipulation of the key52 to the desired tentative maximum speed and then, with the acceleratorpedal 33 in its a position, the vehicle will not exceed that speed.However, if the operator desires the full power of the engine, as forpassing another vehicle, further pressure of the accelerator pedal willmove it to position c against the action of the spring 60, the throttle25 remaining in fully open position by reason of the spring 38 and stop40, andthe valve 56 will then be moved to the position shown in Figure 2in which it no longer connects the pipes 53 andl 54. In this position ofthe valve 56 the passage 62 of the valve no longer registers with thepipe 54 and consequently the connection between the pipes is broken.However, the passage 63'still registers with the pipe 53 and aconnecting passage 64 now connects with the atmosphere through a smallpassage 65, s o that the vacuum in the cylinder 48 is broken andthere isatmospheric pressure on both sides of the piston 41 leaving the spring49 free to operate to move the throttle 42 to wide open position as itis shown in Figure 2. The passage 65 is made small so that the piston 41Will not act too quickly and yet will move the throttle 42 to openposition sufficiently rapidly for the purpose. Now with the governor cutout by reason-of movement of the valve 56 the throttle valve 42 is wideopen, and since the accelerator pedal 33 is in its c position thethrottle valve 25 is also wide open, and the maximum power of the engineis available to the operator. When the operator returns the acceleratorpedal to position a or anywhere between that position and position b,the valve 56 is returned by the spring 60 to the position shown inFigure 1 and the governor is again'in operation.

As previously stated, means are provided for locking the governor in itsadjusted position, that is, by removing the key 52. This,however, wouldbe unavailing unless the governor cut-out was also rendered inoperativeand this invention therefore provides for a lock for the valve 56.Provision may be made so that the lock operated by the key 52 will alsolock the valve 56 or a `separate lock may be provided for the valve 56.As shown herein there is a separate lock though the same key may be usedfor both.

Since the arm 51 is the means for moving the valve 56 the valve will belocked when Ythe arm 51 is disconnected from it. Thus in Figures 3, 4,and 5 the rotating part of the valve 56 is retained in itsgovernor-operating position, as shown in Figure 1, by .a spring 66. Thearm 51 surrounds the rotary part of the valve and is connected to it bya bolt 61 operated by a tumbler lock 68. In one position of the tumblerlock the bolt 61 connects the arm 51 to the valve 56, Figures 3 and 4showing it in this position. In Figure 5 the bolt 61 has been withdrawnand the arm 51 is free so that any movement thereof will have no effectupon the valve 56 and therefore, with the parts in that position, thevalve 56 is locked and movement of the accelerator pedal to the positionc will not move the valve.

For the purpose of more clearly illustrating the valve 56 and itsoperation it is shown somewhat diagrammatically and as a part separatefrom the cylinder 48, but it will be understood that the valve wouldprobably be built into the cylinder 48 and would of course be encased sothat when locked it could not be moved from one position to anotherexcept by use of the key.

The gear shifter 22 for the overdrive has been described as operated bythe rod 24, being re tained in its higher geared position by the spring23. The present invention provides for moving the gear shifter to itslower geared position by the same movement that produces the full powerof the motor by cutting out the governor. Thus an arm 3| on the lever 3|operates against the head 24' of the rod 24 to move the rod 24 to theleft when the accelerator pedal 33 is moved to its c ure 2 so that thegovernor is cut out of action and the valve 42 is in wide open position.Thus simultaneously the lower gear of the vehicle and the full power ofthe motor are obtained for emergency use. When the pedal 33 is returnedto position a or between that position and position b the overdrive goesinto high gear and the governor returns to its normal operation.

While I have herein described in some detail a specific embodiment of myinvention, which I deem to be new and advantageous and may specificallyclaim, I d0 not desire it to be understood that my invention is limitedto the exact details Cil of the construction, as it will be apparentthat changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit orscope of my invention.

'I'hus it is obvious that the valve 56- and the gear shifter 22, eitheror both of them, instead of being operated mechanically from themanually actuated lever 33, may be operated electrically as throughsolenoids and wiring or hydraulically through suitable cylinders,pistons, and piping.

What I claim is:

1. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a motor having throttle means,a governor, an accelerator for controlling motor speed below thegoverned speed, a gear shifter for the vehicle, and means operated bysaid accelerator to simultaneously actuate the gear shifter, render thegovernor inoperative and move said motor throttle means to wide openposition.

2. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a motor having throttle means,a governor connected to said throttle means to normally limit `the motorspeed, an accelerator connected to said

